Improvement in fastenings for metallic bands for cotton-bales



IINITED- STATES ArnNr OFFICE.

VM. MINOR, OF HOUMA, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT lN FASTENINGS FOR METALLIC BANDS FOR COTTON-SALES, dc.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. illl, dated October 27,1857.

To all whom it may concernc- Be it known that I, WILLIAM MINOR, ofHouma, in the parish of Terre Bonne and State of Louisiana, haveinvented a new and improved fastening for securing the ends of metalstraps or hoops used in baling cotton, hemp, and other articles whichare compressed and bound in bale form; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, referencebeing had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification,in which- Figure l is an edge view ofthe two ends of a strap orbale-hoop connected by my improved fastening. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same.

` Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two ends of a hoop or bar, theends being fastened according to my improved mode.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts iu the severaliigures. My invention consists in securing the ends of Inetal bale-hoopstogether by forming loops or eyes in the ends of said hoops by cuttingparallel slits through them and bending outward the interveningportions, the loops overlapping each otheras the ends of the hoops areoverlapped, and a transverse wedge or key being passed through theloops, substantially as shown and described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention7 I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a metal strap or bale-hoop, and a a are its two ends.Through each end ot' this strap A slits Z) are cut, the slits being cutin pairs parallel with each other and a suitable distance allowedbetween each pair ot' slits. The metal b between each pair ot' slits bis raised up, so as to form a loop or eye, as shown clearly in Figs. 2and 3, and when the ends of the strap or hoop are overlapped the loopsat each end are also overlapped, and by passing a wedge or key, c,through either of the loops the two ends of the strap or hoop will besecured firmly together. By having several or akseries ot loops or eyesformed at the ends of the straps or hoops the ends of the straps orhoops may be overlapped more or less in order to have the hoops of therequisite size. The wedge or key c may be made of wood or metal. Thehoops may be made of any proper metal. Iron, however, is generally used.There is no peculiarity in the construction of the hoops.

This fastening is extremely simple, and far superior to rivets whichhave been generally used for connecting the ends of the hoops.

There have beeny several plans devised for fastening the ends of hoopsby means of locks or loops, so arranged as to catch one over the other;but I am n ot aware that any Inode has been adopted to any extent onaccount of the time expended in connecting the ends of the hoops andtheir liability to separate.

Having thus described Iny invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

Securing the ends of metal bale-hoops together by forming loops or eyesin the ends of said hoops by cutting parallel slits b through them andbending outward the intervening portions b, the loops overlapping eachother as the ends of the hoops are overlapped, and a transverse wedge orkey, c, passed through the loops, substantially as shown and described.

WM. MINOR.

\Vit1iesses W. I. MINOR, Monroy C. MAoMIoIIAnI..

